Plan a Suffolk Country-House Wedding: The Essential Guide

The essentials

• Give notice: Book in at your local registry office at least 29 days before your ceremony.
• Book registrar: Do this early to make sure a registrar is available for your chosen wedding date
• Choose day format: Would you like a lavish celebration or a cosy, intimate affair?
• Draft timeline: There are a few different options for how your big day will flow.
• Set rain plan: If you’re planning anything outdoors, it’s worth having a backup plan in place.

Book your registrar

A registrar will conduct your wedding ceremony to make it legally recognised and binding. They will also register your marriage with the local council.

To book a Suffolk registrar, simply get in touch with the nearest registry office to your wedding venue. At Hintlesham Hall, our closest is in Ipswich. Make sure you do this as soon as you know your wedding date to make sure a registrar is available for your chosen day.

Give notice

‘Giving notice of marriage’ is a legal requirement in which both parties confirm that they can get married. This includes things like proving your identity, that you are old enough to wed, and that you have British citizenship or the right visas.

Both parties must give notice at their local registry office at least 29 days before your ceremony, but you then have a year to get married. If you live separately, both parties should give notice in their respective areas. In Suffolk, there are six registry offices to choose from. Alternatively, if you’re having a religious wedding ceremony, you’ll attend your chosen church to have your banns read instead.

Outdoor ceremonies: what’s actually allowed

Suffolk is perfect for outdoor wedding planning. There have been a few changes to UK law in recent years, and outdoor wedding and civil partnership ceremonies can now take place at approved premises, including Hintlesham Hall.

Full-day

A whole day of celebrations with a morning ceremony, afternoon wedding breakfast and reception, finished with evening dancing and party vibes. The traditional approach at a country house venue offers an elegant and lavish affair to celebrate your big day.

Day-only Celebrations

Perfect for those who’d like the focus to be on your elegant country-house ceremony and glamorous reception rather than the evening dancing and party. Without the late-night finish, you’ll be able to savour a personal and memorable day relaxing with guests. However, as this isn’t a traditional approach, it’s worth letting guests know this early and having an optional evening plan of activities.

Intimate Wedding

For those looking for a cosy and personal gathering, an intimate wedding can be the perfect choice.  An elegant celebration with under 20 guests can create more meaningful moments and connections with your guests throughout the day. It also suits budget-conscious couples who’d still love an exquisite venue.

Midweek Weddings

You’ll get a luxurious and enchanting day, whatever your wedding date. However, couples choosing a midweek wedding date will often be able to get greater availability and better rates from their venue and suppliers. However, it can be more inconvenient for guests with work and childcare commitments.

How many guests?

A crucial early decision is to define how many guests you’d like to invite. This will dictate how large a space you need. Venues will typically offer a variety of rooms for different gathering sizes, but bear in mind that even though a room can technically fit 100 people in, it can still be too snug when everyone is there.

From Ceremony to Reception

You’ll need to consider where your guests will go for reception drinks between the ceremony and reception. Out on the beautiful lawns of your country house venue in fine weather or in a vibrant indoor lounge are both great options.

A little entertainment, such as garden games, is helpful here to avoid the dreaded ‘lull’. However, bear in mind that this is the first opportunity for your guests to mingle over a glass of bubbly, so keep it light.

Have a Confident Rain Plan

Suffolk’s luscious rolling hills need plenty of rain to keep them green. If any element of your big day takes place outside, make sure there is an alternate indoor plan. Ask your venue coordinator about their suggested rainy day backup plan and make sure you are happy with it.

For a Single Venue Wedding

• 12.30pm: Your groom or partner arrives at the venue, and guests also begin to arrive
• 1pm: Ceremony starts
• 1.45pm: Formal and portrait photographs
• 2.15pm: Reception drinks and canapés are served
• 4pm: Wedding Breakfast
• 5.30pm: Speeches
• 7pm: Evening guests arrive
• 7.30pm: First dance and DJ/Band starts
• 8.30pm: Evening food is served

For a Church Wedding

• 12.30pm: Your groom or partner arrives at the venue, and guests also begin to arrive
• 1pm: The wedding service starts
• 1.45 pm: Photographs at church
• 2.30 pm: Travel to the wedding reception venue
• 3pm: Photographs at the reception venue
• 3.15 pm: Reception drinks and canapés are served
• 4.30 pm: Wedding Breakfast
• 6pm: Speeches
• 7pm: Evening guests arrive
• 8pm: First dance and DJ/Band starts
• 8.30pm: Evening food is served

For a Day-Only wedding

• 11am: Your groom or partner arrives at the venue, guests also begin to arrive
• 11:30am: Ceremony starts
• 12.15pm: Photographs
• 12.30pm: Reception drinks and canapés are served
• 2pm: Wedding Breakfast
• 3.30pm: Speeches
• 4pm: Afternoon entertainment

What ‘exclusive’ actually includes

For most country house venues, gaining exclusive use will mean your party has sole use of the venue, grounds and staff. This means you’re not going to bump into anyone on your big day that isn’t a guest.

What does that mean in practice?

Aside from complete privacy, this is your ticket to complete peace of mind that no members of the public will accidentally stumble into the party or into your confetti shots. With use of the whole venue, you’ll also be able to invite more people and have more spaces for guests to explore during the quieter moments of the day.

Menus & tasting

When it comes to choosing your wedding breakfast menu, the only limit is your imagination. As you are planning a country house wedding, you’ll likely want something that complements the elegance of your surroundings. It’s also important to:

• Consider what is in season over your wedding date for the tastiest dishes
• Make sure to check in with guests about any dietary requirements
• Speak to your caterer about a wedding food tasting to make sure everything is just right. However, this should just be for the couple - don’t bring your whole entourage.

Planning with your photographer

Once your big day is over, you’ll want those sumptuous shots to remember every magical moment. It’s worth knowing your chosen photo spots for portraits and group photos. Ask the venue coordinators for recommended photography locations at the showround and discuss these with your Suffolk wedding photographer.

And remember, always have a wet-weather backup location or two in mind.

What to ask at the showround

There are, of course, many questions to ask the venue coordinator. Have a list of non-negotiable details to hand that the venue must be able to fulfil. However, here are five questions you may not have thought of:

• How long can I provisionally hold a date for? - This will vary by venue, but it is essential to know to avoid disappointment.
• Who will be the point of contact in the lead-up to the wedding? - Questions will inevitably come up ahead of the big day. It’s important to know who to contact to get those essential answers.
• From what time can we access the venue? - If you’re planning any decor yourselves, you’ll need to know how long you’ve got to prepare.
• Are there any venue restrictions? - There are several common restrictions to be aware of, such as no naked flames, no confetti and, in some cases, no under-18s.
• Are there any extra charges for staff/cleaning/room hire that haven’t been included in the quote? - To help stick to your wedding budget, finding out any hidden costs is essential

Book a Showround